Reviews of Art of Animation Resort (Value Resort)
Reviewed by thekid_1 Review Date: 09/07/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
We stayed in a Little Mermaid room 8/23 through 8/31. I was concerned based upon other comments that room would not be big enough for two adults and two children. The room size was never an issue for us. I was disappointed we did not get the building we had requested through our travel agent. I am not sure why because the resort was not that busy. I was pleasantly surprised the room was ready when we arrived at 11:30 am. Pools were nice and well-guarded.
Mousekeeping kept the room clean but they kept throwing out our cups and did not leaving any new ones. This happened continually and became frustrating. I was sick and did not want to share cups with anyone.
There is no cell service once you enter your room.
Buses to the parks and downtown went well with one exception. While waiting to return to Epcot for dinner the wait was well over 30 minutes for a bus. That in itself is not horrible but we watched two buses arrive and depart for MK, AK, and downtown. Three buses for HS came and left in that same time.
Pros:
Clean, pools, food, affordable, themeingCons:
Mousekeeping but minor,no cell service in roomReviewed by bookworm_julie Review Date: 02/04/2014
Rating: (9) Recommended
Two adults stayed in a Little Mermaid room. We had two double beds which was great for our girls trip. Check in was a breeze and our Magic Bands were waiting for us, all customized (could not ship to Canada). We were in the Ursula building and it was only about a 6-7 minute walk to the main building and bus stop. It was also a shorter walk to the buses if you cut along the sidewalk by the parking lot.
Breakfast pastries were excellent. Make your own pasta was also really good, as was the french toast for breakfast.
The themeing of the room and the entire resort was really well done. Really lifelike and you could tell a lot of thought and detail was put in to it.
The only real con was the housekeeping. We had to request cups one night since we had none, and it took over an hour for them to arrive which was annoying. It also seemed like they did a real rushed job as the garbage cans were only dumped out once during our stay.
Regardless, I would not hesitate to stay here again and would hightly recommend it!
Pros:
Awesome themes, good food, great bus schedule, affordableCons:
housekeepingReviewed by goofy284 Review Date: 12/20/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
First off this resort is great visually, the colors and theming are the best as only Disney can deliver.
We stayed in the little mermaid room in building 9. It was just myself and my niece (9) so there was more them enough room for us. The details in the room where wonderful. I think however if there was more them two of us there would never have been enough room for our clothes. Because the dresser has the fridge in half of it you only have 3 small drawers. I used the hangers and hung a lot of my clothes as we where there for 10 nights and had lots of clothes.
I did notice there seamed to be a lot more noise from others here then in any other resort I have stayed in, including the Pop and music resorts. Bathroom noise, doors slamming and babies crying well into the night.
The other major thing that I notice was the room never got dark. The curtains where thin so the light from outside would shine though. I am used to a dark black room at night and I had a hard time sleeping with all the light
The walks to the rooms does not seams long at first but gets longer as the days go on. LOL 🙂
The pools are wonderful. We used both the mermaid and the big blue pool and we loved them.
The food left something to be desired, We loved the breakfasts, we tried both the standard Disney waffles but really liked the yogurt parfait. We tried dinner a couple of times but found it not very good. The staff however were very nice and service was fast even at busy times.
Pros:
Wonderful theming, friendly staffCons:
thin curtainsReviewed by The Hendies Review Date: 11/12/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
First, I must mention that the staff were AMAZING when my husband lost his cell phone. We are still not sure if it fell some where as we were walking, or on a bus, but my husband stopped every day to see if it was found, and the staff was soooooo patient with him! It was found and returned after 3 days.
We ended up driving from near our room to nearer the bus area each day, because it was quite a haul from the room (building 9) to the buses.
Lastly, there was NO cell service at all, anywhere in the room. To make a call, check messages, or use the internet, we had to stand outside our room.
However, I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again! The theming is wonderful, the room was plenty big for 2 of us, the beds were comfortable, and the bus service was great!
Pros:
Price, buses, helpful staffCons:
Long walk from Little Mermaid Rooms to buses, cell service.Reviewed by gthurber Review Date: 10/20/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
We love this resort! We stayed here last year and returned this month as part of a two resort trip. Our family liked our second resort(a deluxe) but all agreed that Art of Animation is our favorite. We stayed in the Cars area both last year and this year. Great theme and the colors are not overboard. The only negative is that the food court can be really loud and confusing during busy periods. However, it would not prevent any of us from returning!
Pros:
Exciting, fun atmosphereCons:
Loud Food CourtReviewed by momof3inMadisonAL Review Date: 09/24/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
We have APs and usually stay at the All Stars, but have tried 3 moderates. This was by far our favorite Disney Resort! Will not be staying anywhere else from now on.
Loved the theming. The suite layout worked well for our family of 6. My husband and I got a queen bed. So quiet in the back bedroom. Didn't have any hall noise - although we were close to the elevators. did hear some noise at night from pool but our room was looking over it directly. Don't know that I would recommend this type of room for a family with more than 2 adults. I definitely wouldn't want to be the one sleeping on the murphy or the sofa bed. But they were perfect for our kids. Theming was fantastic! A step above the other values and really, even the other moderates where we have stayed in the last 5 years.
Only down side was that we drive and Nemo suites were not close to parking. Next time will pick Cars or Lion King.
Pros:
new, theme, layout of suitesCons:
parking not near Nemo buildingReviewed by D1sneyg1rl Review Date: 09/03/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
Stayed 8/21 - 8/27 with my husband and two little boys (2 and 5). We've stayed previously at Pop, as well as other Moderate resorts (POFQ, CBR, and POR). We decided to take a second trip to Disney this year and chose AOA to save some money. It was a good decision. The theming at Art of Animation is outstanding -- outside and inside, which made it feel a lot less like a Value resort. We spent the entire first afternoon / evening checking out all areas of the resort, taking pictures with the characters, and playing in the different play areas.
Our check-in was fast and very friendly. The staff there was nice throughout our stay.
We stayed the first two nights in a Mermaid Room and the remaining nights in a Cars suite (a complimentary upgrade! We were shocked and thrilled!!!).
Little Mermaid Room: We were in Bldg 7, third floor. LOVE the elevators at this value resort, especially with a double stroller! We had a lake view, which we did not request, but I would recommend. It is very peaceful. Our room was adorable and I was surprised that even our boys loved it...there were ooh's and aah's I didn't expect! The details on the table (like the lyrics of Under the Sea) and the headboards, which have lights embedded in them, are just a few of the details that make the room really magical! To combat the lack of storage space (half of the dresser is a facade that stores a mini-fridge), we requested an extra luggage rack/stand from Mousekeeping (there is already one in the room). This let us leave 2 suitcases on racks, and empty the third one (shared by our boys) into the dresser. The beds are double (vs. queen like at a Moderate resort). This was fine for our family, but something you may wish to consider. We don't tend to spend too much time in our room, except for naps and sleeping at night so we found this room to be more than adequate for a family of four. We did have a pack and play in the room for our 2 year old and it fit between the bed and the bathroom wall (out of the way). As far as the walk to the Little Mermaid area, it isn't too bad (even in the August heat). If you have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside or the Caribbean Beach Resort, the walk will not phase you! Plus, there is so much to look at on the way! Finally, Mousekeeping in this area did a fantastic job...(I'm the Mom who brings Lysol along and cleans the entire room when we get there since little kids touch everything). I was extremely pleased with the cleanliness of the room --the bathtub, corners, floor, A/C vent -- it was really well cleaned prior to our arrival.
Cars suite: We stayed on the fourth floor in Bldg 4 (Mater's building). For a family of four, the suite offered more than enough space to spread out. Once again, the details were impressive. The postcards from Radiator Springs sitting (permanently) on all the dressers and nightstands look so real and the cone lamps were adorable. We loved having two bathrooms, a larger place to eat breakfast (the table seats 4), and a couch / living area for the kids to play. The room is stocked with paper plates, paper bowls, cups, plastic silverware, etc. (which Mousekeeping replenishes). Since we eat our breakfasts in the room (cereal / yogurt) this was great. The pull down Murphy Bed was a breeze to use and my oldest son loved sleeping there, especially with Mater sleeping on the headboard and his own adjustable "night light." We did not need to use the pullout sofa. The master bathroom has a nice walk-in shower and the second bath has a tub shower. Again, more than enough space for a family of four here. We generally bring Mom / Dad and I will say we would have had room for them too, but it would have been less convenient to have to make / unmake the sofa bed each day....if you can afford the suite, go for it. Our boys are still talking about their Cars room!! If not, the Little Mermaid rooms make for a standard, but still very magical, stay.
We spent time at each of the three pools. Based on another review, we brought our own beach towels. However, I learned part way through the trip that you can request pool towels from the front desk (they look the same as the bath towels). For a family with two small children, the advantages of the Big Blue Pool were the zero-entry area and the separate splash area. I loved being able to sit in a sun chair and watch them run in the splash area (it was nice not having to hold someone and be in the pool the entire time!). TIP: There is a mug refill station at the Big Blue Pool Bar (so you don't have to go inside Landscape of Flavors). The Cozy Cone pool is definitely the most quiet / tranquil. You can't beat the atmosphere and our boys loved swimming with the Wheel Well Motel in the background. We loved how the music played at each of the pools fit the theme (i.e. at the Cozy Cone pool, all of the songs are about cars, driving, the road, etc.). If you aren't going to the parks everyday (and even if you are), I recommend pool hopping! It really gives you a chance to enjoy all of AOA.
Also - based on another review re: swimsuits fading....we experienced the same thing, but only with one Gap swimsuit. It was not your standard spandex / lycra, but more of a cotton swim short. Despite rinsing it in cold water after every swim (hoping to avoid what I had read) my son's suit is now a very light orange and blue plaid (previously fluorescent!).
We didn't have any problems with the buses while we were there. The single transportation stop is laid out well, with separate queues for each park / Dwtn Disney. Yes, they are crowded on the way home if you leave when the parks close, but that is true with any resort. One night, when we left the Magic Kingdom, there was a significant line and they sent two buses simultaneously.
Lastly, I will discuss the Landscape of Flavors food court. The theming inside is cute -- with sections of tables matching each of the different areas of AOA (Lion King, Cars, etc.). I was pleased with the selection of food, but disappointed in the wait times. Even though it wasn't crowded, the service was VERY slow. Having been to Disney a number of times, my husband and I always split up and order from two lines to avoid going from one to the next and having our meals ready at pretty much the same time. Even doing this, the first two days we found we were eating in shifts / pieces as meals from one line were ready well before meals from another line. Later, we decided the whole family would order from one line to avoid some meals being cold. TIP: There is a microwave in Ariel's Grotto (the portion of the food court that resembles being Under the Sea!). We reheated our meals a couple of times. We also microwaved our popcorn there for Movies Under The Stars!
This is now our favorite Value resort! The theming and landscaping are perfect for children....and adults too! We had a very magical vacation and can't wait to return!
Pros:
Theming, details, staff, pools, good value for priceCons:
slow food court, faded swimsuit!Reviewed by bellebookworm9 Review Date: 08/01/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
I stayed at Art of Animation with my two friends for the first time for six nights, 7/24-30. I had been twice prior to walk around and was able to previously tour a Cars suite with allears. This time I wanted a Lion King suite, and was able to book with a 60% off cast member discount.
I'll start with the minor negatives.
1)At check in, Pat forewarned us that cell phone service in the rooms and buildings might be poor as they were designed for hurricane weather, not wi-fi and cell towers. We had AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon as carriers, and none of us got great reception-one bar or no service at all.
2)The bathroom lighting, at least in the "guest" bathroom, was super dim due to the energy saving lightbulbs. It was so dark in there at first that I couldn't even tell I'd turned on the light.
3)Mousekeeping, particularly during the weekend, was a little odd. One day, they didn't make up the sofa bed at all, and while they replaced a few towels in the bathroom, the rest were just left in a pile (and not even a folded one, at that) on the Inovabed. We also came back to the room on Saturday night to find the safe locked and unable to be opened. Perhaps mousekeeping saw that there was money and medication in it and locked it? We called the desk and they sent up the Duty Manager quickly to help us out. Also, for the first two days we couldn't find the privacy tag (it was behind the emergency exit plakaed on the door), so I was woken up at 8:30am by mousekeeping knocking. Once we found it, we had no more disturbances.
4)When we first got to the room, my room key, and only mine, wouldn't work to open the door. I went down that evening to get it fixed. They told me that they would print me a new key and hopefully that would fix the problem. If not, it may be that a Magicband error was attached to the reservation and that would take longer to fix. Of course, it couldn't be the easy solution. On our second day I called the desk and they told me they would have to essentially re-book the reservation and cut us all new keys, which they did promptly. However, I didn't have my credit card with me, so the PIN and charging privileges were unable to be set up. This caused some confusion with the dining plan and purchases until I was able to go back again to add it back on. We also ended up with an extra day of CS credits on the DDP and a second set of mug credits as a result of the re-booking. Thankfully all cast members were extremely eager to help fix the problems I encountered.
All of these were pretty minor things and did not influence my choice of staying here again.
When we arrived around 1pm, our room was ready. I had requested a highest floor lake view room prior to arrival, and we were given a third floor lake view room. Our room was 6738, the second door from the exterior stairs, which made it a quick jaunt to the parking lot. The lake view was great! We hardly ever heard neighbors upstairs or to the sides, so either we didn't have any, they were very quiet, or the insulation was fantastic!
We found the suite to be spacious for the three of us and it allowed us to separate: the two girls took the living area and we gave the boy the bedroom. I slept on the Inovabed and found it perfectly comfortable, and nobody else complained about their beds either. The bathroom vanity had enough space for two females to spread out all their stuff. I did find the towels to be uncomfortable scratchy and thin, but hey, it's a value resort.
We liked having the kitchenette for drinks, breakfasts, snacks, and leftovers. I was sad that that they've done away with the colorful bedspreads; now they are just white with a runner at the bottom. We did have enough drawer and closet space, but the male in our group also basically lived out of his suitcase (his choice, not due to space restrictions). There was enough room to put luggage, albeit not out of the way-I kept mine against the wall between the living and bedrooms. We left the sofa and table beds pulled out all the time and mousekeeping left them that way. The floor by the living area windows was crowded with suitcases, the bug chair, and the couch cushions, but this wasn't a big deal. We also found there to be plenty of outlets, which is kind of a rarity in Disney hotels. The wi-fi in the rooms was great.
I did go down to the Flippin' Fins pool one night, but sadly, never made it to the Nemo pool. It wasn't crowded, but the water was warm, so it was relaxing. We enjoyed walking around the resort and exploring the different areas. I do feel the Lion King got a bit jipped on outdoor theming. There was construction on the "playground" the whole time, so perhaps Disney is finally converting it to something resembling more of a play space.
We used the buses only a few times: once coming back from Downtown Disney late at night, and one time each to and from Magic Kingdom in late afternoon/early evening. The wait was 10 minutes or less for all trips.
Landscape of Flavors was very good. The Ink and Paint shop had some cool stuff, and the cast members were very easy going and helpful when we had to return a couple of items. Pizza delivery was also satisfactory.
I highly recommend using Resort Airline Check In if eligible. Although they had a bit of difficulty finding our info at first, we were able to check in, get our boarding passes, and leave our luggage. It arrived back in Buffalo with no problem, and this also allowed us more space for souvenirs from Downtown Disney!
I absolutely adored this resort, and would not hesitate to stay here again. In fact, I may stay here in December or January with my mom and brother. None of the minor complaints inconvenienced us enough to influence our thoughts on the resort.
Pros:
Fun theme, friendly cast, great roomsCons:
Bathroom lighting, spotty mousekeeping, room key snafuReviewed by nemo265 Review Date: 06/11/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
We stayed in AOA resort in the Little Mermaid Section,Bldg 8 for June 5-10. The walk to the food court wasn't as bad as people claim. It only took us about 8 minutes from our room which was a few rooms away from the Ariel statue and we are not the fastest walkers. We loved the large icons of all the movies,especially our section and the Cars section which we walked to so we can check it out.
The cast members were great and were dancing the chicken dance in the lobby, my daughter had fun when she joined in. Housekeeping did a great job although once they forgot wash clothes but when I called they sent over a big bag of them with extra towels.
My only complaint was the on the back side of the privacy curtain there was an ugly stain of some kind but we ignored it and eventually forgot about it during out stay.
Landscape of Flavors was not what we expected and the food could of been much better but was ok for a quick bite to eat. I would stay here again but wasn't happy with how Disney excluded this section of this resort from their 30% off promotion for the rest of the resorts for this time that we went.
The pools are nice and you can even hear music under water at the main finding nemo pool.Also the resort has wonderful statues of the characters that give you a unique Disney experience.
Pros:
Fun resort!Cons:
Landscape of Flavors was not what I expectedReviewed by bodean4god Review Date: 04/20/2013
Rating: (9) Recommended
Love this place and am going back this year! The Little Mermaid rooms are small, but livable especially with a fridge in the room. You're their to sleep and shower and that's about it so I say it's great! The atmosphere is each area is so cool and I loved that they tried to have activities for families, even during rainy days! Check in was easy, and the only down side was trying to eat breakfast. VERY CROWDED! It seemed like the area where you order was created too small. However, I witnessed how a manager handled an irrate customer who was clearly in the wrong and I was impressed with the professionalism of the staff. They worked very hard to satisfy this person. You need to try this place, it is great!
